April 27, 2026
World
World
WASHINGTON, April 27 — A man accused of targeting US administration officials at a Washington event has been arrested after allegedly opening fire, injuring a Secret Service agent.
WASHINGTON, June 30 — US President Donald Trump lashed out at Zohran Mamdani, calling him a “pure communist,” following Mamdani’s unexpected victory in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary — a comment the progressive candidate brushed off as political posturing.
Mamdani’s surprise win over a scandal-hit political veteran sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party and triggered a strong backlash from Trump and his allies, who labeled him a radical extremist. As the general election draws nearer, Trump’s Republican Party is expected to intensify efforts to paint Democrats as veering too far left to secure national electoral wins.
“He’s a pure communist,” Trump declared during an appearance on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, further describing Mamdani as a “radical leftist lunatic.”
“I think it’s very bad for New York,” said Trump, who was born and raised in the city and established his real estate empire there.
“If he gets in and I’m president, he’s going to have to do the right thing — or they’re not getting any money,” Trump warned, referencing his administration’s past threats to withhold federal funds from Democratic-led cities that challenge his policies, such as those designating themselves as sanctuary cities.
Mamdani, appearing on Sunday talk shows, reaffirmed his support for New York’s sanctuary city status, saying it allows “New Yorkers to come out of the shadows and fully participate in the life of the city they belong to.”
When asked directly on NBC’s Meet the Press whether he identifies as a communist, the 33-year-old replied, “No, I am not.”
“I’ve already started to get used to the president commenting on my appearance, my voice, where I come from, and who I am — all to distract from what I stand for,” said Mamdani, who aims to become New York’s first Muslim mayor.
“I’m fighting for the very working-class people Trump once claimed to champion but has since abandoned.”
The Ugandan-born state assemblyman had trailed former governor Andrew Cuomo in early polling but gained momentum with a campaign centered on affordable housing, free childcare, and public transit — policies that resonated in the high-cost city.
Despite Democrats outnumbering Republicans three to one in New York, Mamdani faces a tough path to victory in November. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, is seeking re-election as an independent, and Cuomo may also enter the race as an unaffiliated candidate. — AFP
